February Update - Key Updates, Mental Health Programme, Rebranding

Dear all,

Since the release of our relaunch proposal, the trustee board has been diligently working to implement the decisions made earlier this year. You can find the proposal here if you'd like to revisit it: www.skipkids.org.uk

Here's an update on our decisions and progress: 

National Working Groups (Programmes):

We're establishing national working groups, known as streams, each dedicated to a specific area of child health. Our initial focus will be on children and young people's mental health, building upon the emotional wellbeing work completed by SKIP in this field (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32558826/). The first stream will begin with a research phase,  overseen by a trustee.

This process has also seen a review into our national recruitment processes which will be altered to ensure inclusivity and to see our charity’s workforce become representative of the communities we are serving.

Recruitment for our mental health programme is now ongoing. We have initially recruited one programme co-lead alongside three members who have formed the R&D team.

Rebranding:

SKIP is undergoing a rebranding process, this will include the introduction of a new name and appearance for future work. This decision was made to ensure our charity is correctly represented within the field we work and  to allow us to keep up with the evolving online space.

Currently, our focus is on developing a brand brief outlining the character and work of our charity, this will guide our brand and public appearance.

National Treasury Redesign:

We're in the process of redesigning our national treasury, centralising some of our previously raised funds due to the closure of our university branches. Our charity's annual spending is constantly under review, with a commitment to streamlining costs for optimal and ethical fund allocation. Remaining open and accountable is important to us as the charity goes through significant changes, and we are grateful to our donors for their understanding during this time.

Long-Term Plans:

The trustee team is actively developing long-term plans for each area of our charity to ensure longevity and ongoing progress in restarting our work for beneficiaries.

Impact Report:

Work on our impact report continues. This report will showcase our charity's past impact on child global health, helping us to track previous actions and learn from historical work.

Market Research on Student-Driven Initiatives:

A team of trustees conducted market research on student-driven child global health initiatives, influencing the structural design and scope of our charity's work. This research has been invaluable in identifying areas of need and preventing duplication of efforts.

Branch Closures:

We are making significant progress in closing down our previous branches, including coordination with their respective Students' Unions, reallocating funds, and reviewing/closing existing branch social media pages.

As always we are exceptionally grateful for your patience and input as we continue to action the reimagination of SKIP. We are confident the changes we have made will go on to serve our charity’s and beneficiaries' needs for years to come.

Please continue to keep in touch with our work and keep your eyes peeled for new and exciting opportunities in the not so distant future.

Best wishes,

The Trustee Team